EHAM
QTH
QRZ
ARRL
HRO
ICOM
KENWOOD YAESU
ELBO ROOM
COMMENTS
WEEKEND
EDITION:
Rain, thunder, and
lightning this
morning, another
reason not to launch
the boat today.
A special two day
live webcast will
take place at Hamvention in
Xenia, Ohio on
Friday and Saturday.
For hams unable to
attend Hamvention in
person, Amateur
Radio Roundtable will
provide multiple
video feeds and
reporters covering
the event. The live
stream will be
active both May 16th
and 17th from 9:00
AM to 5:00 PM
Eastern time.
Viewers can watch on
the W5KUB
YouTube channel or w5kub.com.
A live chat will
also be available.
ARRL Coverage of
2025 Dayton
Hamvention – Friday,
May 16
Friday was opening
day at 2025 Dayton
Hamvention® and it
was a day of
superlatives — huge
crowds coming
through the gates,
standing room only
at “Salty Walt”
Hudson’s portable
antenna forum, and
more as hams from
across the country
and around the world
descended on the
Greene County
Fairgrounds in
Xenia, Ohio for the
first of three days
of total immersion
in all things ham
radio.
At the many booths
that make up the
ARRL Expo area,
crowds were
constant, and
sentiments were
similar among the
employees, board
members, and
volunteers who
staffed them. ARRL
CEO David Minster,
NA2AA, was in the
meet and greet area
and talked with ARRL
members nearly
non-stop the whole
day.
At the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service
(ARES®) booth, ARRL
Director of
Emergency Management
Josh Johnston,
KE5MHV, said “It’s
busy. I love it!
Hamvention is an
awesome opportunity
to talk to hams,
find out what’s
going on in the
field, and share
ideas,” adding,
“It’s a unique
opportunity to hear
about problems and
successes and try to
help get issues
resolved.” He also
noted that informal
conversations with
influential visitors
can often have
far-reaching
benefits.
Across the aisle at
the ARRL Foundation
booth, Development
Operations Manager
Christine Lessard,
KC1TDM, said she
“enjoyed connecting
with clubs that have
received club grants
and answering
questions about
scholarship
programs.” Lessard
added that “It’s
exciting to talk
about all the good
that the Foundation
does for the amateur
radio community.”
Read more
American Radio Relay
League | Ham Radio
Association and
Resources –
Amateur
Radio Newsline
Report
IARU OUTLINES
RE-ENGINEERED
VISION, ELIMINATING
REGIONAL ENTITIES
DON/ANCHOR: Our top
story this week is
the International
Amateur Radio Union.
Marking 100 years of
representing member
countries around the
world and
coordinating
frequencies and
other concerns, the
organization enters
its second century
with one big change
on its mind. We have
those details from
Graham Kemp VK4BB.
GRAHAM: Imagine, for
a moment, an IARU
without separate
entities known as
Region 1, Region, 2
and Region 3.
Imagine a total
restructuring that
would create a
single global
entity, erasing the
discrete regions
separated by oceans,
languages and
cultures.
The IARU has
announced that it is
considering just
that and has
released a proposal
to unite the
independent regions
as one, combined
with the
International
Secretariat, to
streamline
decision-making, to
better coordinate
shared concerns and
to bolster
membership in
regions where it is
declining. The
IARU's
administrative
headquarters is
presently based at
the ARRL in the
United States.
The IARU has
released guidance on
potential
restructuring to
help the
organization meet
modern challenges.
The proposed changes
would combine the 3
separate regional
organizations into a
single global
entity.
The proposal (PDF)
outlines a number of
areas where the
currently
independent,
regional
organizations
struggle. Problem
areas include
declining
membership,
duplication of
resources, lack of
coordination, and
other various
inefficiencies. The
changes are designed
to establish a
number of benefits:
This overwhelming
change would not
happen overnight, of
course. The IARU
will be asking
member societies to
vote after they have
reviewed the
consultation on
restructuring, which
is available on the
IARU website. Any
changes that are
approved would not
take place before
next year.
This is Graham Kemp
VK4BB.
(IARU)
**
UNIVERSITY IN ROME
LOGS QSOs TO WELCOME
NEW POPE
DON/ANCHOR: If you
were lucky enough to
work HV5PUL in Rome
recently, you were
part of this small
university-based
station's
celebration that a
new pope had been
elected. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH tells us about
the activation.
JEREMY: Two days
after the conclave
of cardinals had
elected Pope Leo
XIV, amateur radio
station HV5PUL - the
Pontifical Lateran
University - was on
the air in the
Vatican City State
in the heart of
Rome, celebrating.
The station's
administrator, Luca
Della Giovampaola,
IWØDJB, reported
that traffic was
lively on 20 metres
SSB and 17 metres
FT8. He said that
the simple 100-watt
station logged an
estimated 400
contacts in four
hours. Propagation
was challenging and
so, with the
exception of one
Japanese station ,
all the contacts
were within Europe.
It's not often a new
pope is chosen nor
that HV5PUL is put
on the air. Luca
said the callsign is
active mainly on
Saturdays in
connection with
special occasions,
such as the opening
day of the
university's
academic year -- and
of course, the
election of a new
pope.
This is Jeremy Boot
G4NJH.
(LUCA DELLA
GIOVAMPAOLA, IWØDJB)
**
HISTORIC TURNOUT FOR
BANGLADESH HAM RADIO
EXAM
DON/ANCHOR: Amateur
radio test-taking
hit an all-time high
among candidates in
Bangladesh recently.
John Williams VK4JJW
is here to explain
what happened.
JOHN: A record
number of candidates
showed up to take
Bangladesh's amateur
radio exam on
Friday, May 9th, a
total estimated at
more than 900
participants. The
Amateur Radio
Society of
Bangladesh said on
its website that
[quote] "this
remarkable figure
represents the
highest number of
participants ever
recorded for an
amateur radio exam
in Bangladesh's
history." [endquote]
Weeks of preparation
had gone into
preparing candidates
for the exam by
offering online
seminars as well as
in-person training
and workshops. There
was also a field day
as well as classes
in basic electronics
and
antenna-building.
The amateur radio
society said there
was great support
from the Bangladesh
Vespa Community, a
community-service
group of
motorised-scooter
enthusiasts - many
of whom also took
the exam, which was
organised by the
Bangladesh
Telecommunication
Regulatory
Commission.
It was not yet known
how many of the
candidates were
successful in
getting their
licence.
This is John
Williams VK4JJW.
(AMATEUR RADIO
SOCIETY OF
BANGLADESH)
**
SILENT KEY: THE QSO
RADIO SHOW'S TED
RANDALL, WB8PUM
DON: Ted Randall,
WB8PUM, host and
founder of the QSO
Radio Show heard on
shortwave stations
WTWW and WRMI passed
away on Sunday, May
11th after a long
illness. Born Ted
Randall Klimkowski
in Dearborn Heights,
Michigan, Ted
graduated from
Robichaud High
School in 1969. Ted
was a broadcast
engineer in Detroit
and, later,
Nashville. His sons,
David and Matt, are
also engineers.
Ted was known for
his deep voice and
velvety delivery on
the QSO Radio Show.
If it was of
interest to
amateurs, Ted
covered it. He also
covered the
paranormal. He said
"if it flies over
your head and can't
be identified or
goes bump in the
night, we talk about
it." He did several
live shows from just
outside the gates of
Area 51 in Nevada.
Ted was a huge
supporter of the
Amateur Radio
Newsline Bill
Pasternak WA6ITF
Young Ham of the
Year award. During
his live broadcasts
from the Huntsville
Hamfest, the QSO
Radio Show was
usually the first
stop after the
presentation for a
sit down on air with
Ted. He also did
live broadcasts from
the Dayton
Hamvention.
For several years,
the Ham Nation
television audio was
simulcast by Ted on
WTWW.
He is survived by
his wife Holly and
two sons. Fittingly,
he was 73 years of
age.
**
ARRL'S RENEWED CALLS
TO FCC INCLUDE PLEA
FOR TECHNICIANS' HF
PRIVILEGES
DON/ANCHOR: The
FCC's recent request
for suggestions
about eliminating or
modifying any and
all regulations has
become an
opportunity for the
ARRL to renew some
of its recent
proposals to the
regulator, as we
hear from Andy
Morrison K9AWM.
ANDY: The ARRL has
renewed an earlier
plea that the FCC
grant HF privileges
to Technician class
radio amateurs. The
revival of this
proposed change is
prominent on a long
list the league has
drawn up for the
commission,
responding to the
federal government's
goal to eliminate
certain FCC
regulations or
guidelines. The
league is asking
that Technicians
gain phone
privileges on 80
metres, 40 metres
and 15 metres along
with RTTY and
digital privileges.
This is not the only
previous petition
the league is
pressing for as part
of the commission's
announced changes.
It is also asking
that sub-band
boundaries be
adjusted on 80 and
75 metres to correct
what it calls an
"imbalance" that
doesn't reflect the
increased presence
of digital
operations. The ARRL
is also underscoring
its belief that baud
rate and bandwidth
limitations should
be eliminated on
certain amateur LF
and VHF/UHF bands.
This FCC initiative
was announced in its
Further Notice of
Proposed Rule making
in 2023.
The FCC initiative
was contained in its
Docket Number 25-133
which has been
referred to as the
"Delete, Delete,
Delete" docket.
This is Andy
Morrison K9AWM.
(RADIOWORLD, FCC)
**
HAMS EXEMPT FROM
SOUTH CAROLINA LAW
BANNING HANDHELDS
DON/ANCHOR: There's
good news for hams
in South Carolina,
where a new law will
ban most handheld
devices from use
behind the wheel of
a moving vehicle.
Kevin Trotman N5PRE
has those details.
KEVIN: South
Carolina is about to
become the 32nd
state in the US to
exempt amateur radio
operators from a law
that bans drivers of
motor vehicles from
using hand-held
devices.
After it is signed
into law by Gov.
Henry McMaster, the
measure is to take
effect on September
1st. Although it
prohibits drivers
from using portable
computers, GPS
receives, mobile
phones, electronic
games or other
communication
devices, the bill
exempts operators of
amateur, citizens
bad, commercial and
emergency radios.
Members of the state
Senate and House of
Representatives
passed different
versions of the
Hands-Free and
Distracted Driving
Act earlier this
year -
overwhelmingly. They
recently agreed to
resolve the
differences in both
versions and send it
in its final form,
to the governor.
A similar law in
Iowa - also with a
ham radio exemption
- is set to take
effect on the 1st of
July, joining a
growing number of
states around the
US.
This is Kevin
Trotman N5PRE.
(SCSTATEHOUSE.GOV;
WYFF CHANNEL 4,
WIS-TV)
**
HAMS EXEMPT FROM
DISTRACTED-DRIVING
LAW THAT BEGINS JUNE
5
DON/ANCHOR: A
similar law takes
effect on the 5th of
June in
Pennsylvania, where
drivers will be
banned from using
handheld mobile
devices while behind
the wheel of a
moving car. As with
many
distracted-driving
laws passed
recently, this law
also exempts amateur
radio operators and
emergency
responders. The
measure is known as
Paul Miller’s Law,
bearing the name of
the 21-year-old man
struck and killed by
a motorist
distracted by a
phone in 2010.
**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT
YOUNG HAM OF THE
YEAR
DON/ANCHOR:
Nominations close on
the 31st of this
month for Newsline's
Bill Pasternak
Memorial Young Ham
of the Year Award.
Do you know a
promising young
amateur who is a
potential candidate?
Consider nominating
an amateur radio
operator 18 years of
age or younger here
in the continental
United States. If
they have talent,
promise and a
commitment to the
spirit of ham radio
they might just be
this year's award
winner. Find
application forms on
our website,
arnewsline.org,
under the "AWARDS"
tab.
**
PROJECT KUIPER
LAUNCHES ITS FIRST
SATELLITES
DON/ANCHOR: After a
series of delays
that pushed its
first satellite
launch well past its
target date of early
2024, Amazon's new
broadband internet
constellation
project has moved
ahead with its first
liftoff. We have
those details from
Kent Peterson
KCØDGY.
KENT: The broadband
internet
constellation known
as Project Kuiper is
on its way at last,
following the launch
on Monday, April
28th of its first 27
satellites from Cape
Canaveral Space
Force Station in
Florida. Amazon
envisions its
long-anticipated
$10-billion project
as a direct
challenge to the
massive SpaceX
Starlink network,
which dominates the
market, as well as
Eutelsat OneWeb,
AT&T and T-Mobile.
Ultimately Project
Kuiper will send
3,236 satellites
into low-Earth
orbit, making its
global broadband
service accessible
to rural and
underserved regions.
A mandate by the US
Federal
Communications
Commission requires
Amazon to deploy
1,618 - or half - of
its satellites by
the middle of next
year. Analysts
speculate that the
company may seek an
extension on that
date as a result of
the delays.
This is Kent
Peterson KCØDGY.
(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE,
REUTERS)
**
AMSAT SETS OCTOBER
DATE FOR SYMPOSIUM,
MEETING
DON/ANCHOR: October
seems like a long
way off but to
planners of the 43rd
Annual AMSAT Space
Symposium & Annual
General Meeting,
it's just around the
corner. Organizers
have already sent
out a "save the
date" notice for the
weekend of October
16th and have
published a general
schedule that runs
for four days.
Meetings and
presentations will
be hosted at the
Holiday Inn & Suites
Phoenix Airport
North in Arizona,
convenient to
Phoenix Sky Harbor
Airport.
The board of
directors will meet
on Thursday the 16th
of October and again
on Friday the 17th
of October, the same
day that the
symposium
presentations will
begin. The annual
general meeting will
be on Saturday, the
18th of October. The
morning of Sunday,
the 19th of October
- the closing day -
has been set aside
for the members'
breakfast. More
specific details
will be made public
as soon as they
become available.
(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)
**
AWARD RECOGNIZES
WSPR RADIO
"DETECTIVES"
DON/ANCHOR: DUBUS, a
magazine that is
popular with
amateurs around the
world who focus on
VHF and higher
frequencies, is
posing a challenge
-- and offering a
reward. It involves
a little radio
detective work, as
we hear from Jeremy
Boot G4NJH.
JEREMY: The
international ham
radio magazine for
enthusiasts
operating VHF and up
has announced it
will award a prize
this year to a radio
operator studying
the scientific
validity of global
passive WSPR radar
in locating
aircraft. The theory
came to prominence
following the use of
WSPR log data in the
search for the
doomed Malaysian
flight MH370, which
disappeared in 2014
en route to Beijing.
The journal, which
publishes four times
a year in English
and German, has
created this award
to mark the 75th
anniversary of the
DARC and the 100th
anniversary of the
International
Amateur Radio Union.
The total prize
award is 7,500 euros
- the equivalent of
$8,450 US - and is
in three categories:
1,500 Euros, or
$1,600, for proof
involving large
passenger or cargo
aircraft; 2,500
Euros, or $2,800,
for proof involving
smaller aircraft;
3,500 Euros, almost
$4,000 for proof
involving
helicopters.
Studies should be
submitted in either
English or German
and in PDF format to
the email address
that appears in the
text version of this
week's newscast at
arnewsline.org by
the entry deadline
of 31st of December.
[DO NOT READ:
DUBUS@t-online.de ]
This is Jeremy Boot
G4NJH
(DUBUS)
**
WORLD OF DX
Morten, LA9GY, is
using the callsign
3DAØGY while
operating holiday
style from Eswatini
from the 22nd of May
through to the 2nd
of June. Morten will
be using CW and some
SSB, concentrating
on 20, 15 and 10
metres. He may also
operate on other HF
bands. See QRZ.com
for QSL details.
Listen for OT25EPIC,
the special callsign
of the Antwerp Port
Contest Club,
ON8APC, which is on
the air to promote
this year's edition
of the Antwerp Port
Epic cycling race.
The callsign will be
on the air between
the 10th of May and
the 9th of June,
which is the day of
the race. QSL via
ON8JJ.
The International
Amateur Radio Club
at ITU headquarters
in Geneva is using
the callsign 4UØITU
from the 16th of May
through to the end
of the year. This is
to mark the 160th
anniversary of the
International
Telecommunication
Union.
Jose, HP2AT, is
using the special
callsign H82AT, to
mark his 35th
anniversary in
amateur radio. He is
on the air through
to the 31st of
December. Paper
cards are not
available. See
QRZ.com for details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: WHEN THE
"STATION
IDENTIFICATION" IS A
BINARY STAR SYSTEM
DON/ANCHOR: We end
this week's newscast
with the story of
some mystery radio
signals that are
mysteries no more.
Thanks to
researchers, there's
been some "station
identification." We
learn more from
Travis Lisk N3ILS.
TRAVIS: Think of
them as the dynamic
duo of the universe:
No, they're not
caped crusaders but
a red dwarf star and
a white dwarf, a
dead star. Together,
they have been
sending a steady
radio pulse every
two hours for at
least 10 years.
Scientists have
heard their
transmission but
until recently no
one knew the source
of the sounds, which
appeared to emanate
from the direction
of the Big Dipper.
This past spring,
the signals were
found to come from a
binary system - two
stars - that send
the pulse by
repeated contact
between their
magnetic fields.
Researchers cracked
the mystery with the
help of a
low-frequency array
radio telescope. The
discovery debunks
the long-held belief
that only highly
magnetized neutron
stars known as
magnetars, can emit
such pulses.
This challenge to
the old way of
thinking opens up
the chance to
explore other
mysteries and binary
systems.
Researchers call
this binary star
system ILTJ1101 [EYE
ELL TEE JAY ONE ONE
ZERO ONE]. Although
it sounds like a
very large and
exotic callsign for
this long-distance
transmitter, it's
not. Still, with all
those steady,
regular signals over
the years, this pair
surely deserves some
kind of operating
award.
FRIDAY
EDITION: It
was lousy out
yesterday so I spent
4 hours or so
playing with the
Yaesu 950 adjusting
the many menu
settings. I am not a
fan of the Yaesu
menu system but
overall I got it
playing pretty well.
I notice the rx
audio has a little
too much bass and
there are not
a lot of menu items
to change the rx
sound (plenty on the
tx side with
eq
settings)....overall
a nice radio, I will
play on transmit
today as soon as I
get the LDG cable
from HRO to connect
the auto tuner.
ARRL Reconsidered M
AY 12, 2025 ~
RADIOARTISAN
A friend of mine
asked recently if
perhaps our angst
over ARRL was
misguided. There is
a segment of hams
that will hate the
ARRL for any reason,
often stupid,
irrelevant reasons.
I still encounter
people who are angry
about incentive
licensing or claim
the ARRL is against
CW despite running
daily CW bulletins.
Naturally we should
be angry over
nefarious activities
like canning
directors for
questionable
conflict of interest
claims or running
shadow boards, but
perhaps the decline
of ARRL and its
membership numbers
is just due to the
overall decline in
the number of people
interested in
participating in
organizations, and
out of their
control. We see it
everywhere, from
churches, to
fraternal community
organizations, to
ham clubs with many
withering away due
to lack of interest.
To an extent, I
think he’s right. If
you were a maker of
buggy whips in the
early 1900’s, your
ox was undoubtedly
going to get gored
with the advent of
the automobile.
Amateur radio itself
is in a bit of
decline. If the
demand for an
organization to
support something
just isn’t there,
there isn’t much an
organization
dedicated to that
thing can do. But
I’d also argue the
answer is a bit more
complicated and
nuanced.
Let’s break down
what ARRL is to
people. I think
there are two
buckets: those who
see it as a magazine
and publication
company / content
provider and those
who see it like the
“NRA of amateur
radio”. From a
magazine and
publisher
perspective, they
have fallen behind.
Magazines are dying
and ARRL continues
to hold tight to the
“we publish a
monthly periodical”
way of publishing.
They haven’t
embraced any real
sort of new
electronic media;
the app the
publications are on
is just a
replacement for
paper. Complicating
this, there are a
lot of members who
feel stiffed they
don’t get a paper
copy in their hands
each month, at least
not without paying
more for it. Another
problem with ARRL’s
magazine model and
magazines in general
is they just can’t
compete with the
breadth and
timeliness of the
Internet, like
social media,
groups, websites, or
good ole email
reflectors. Take me,
for example. I like
to build stuff. Is
it likely the one
article they’ll have
in QST next
https://blog.radioartisan.com/2025/05/12/arrl-reconsidered/
1/4 5/13/25, 9:53 AM
ARRL Reconsidered –
Radio Artisan month
will strike my
fancy? Maybe, but
probably not. I’m on
a few QRP Groups.io
groups. I see
several postings a
week that interest
me and often cause
me to jot stuff in
my design notebook.
If I’m a creator and
have some great new
thing to show the
world, am I going to
wait six months for
my article to get
published? No, I’m
going to get it out
on the Internet in
some form or fashion
and interact with
other like-minded
people who want to
talk about this new
great thing.
In the world of
“ARRL is a magazine
subscription”, they
have fallen short,
clinging to an old,
outdated model. ARRL
could have also
embraced and even
owned amateur radio
social media and
integrated this in
with a content
publication
strategy, but they
totally missed the
boat on this, too.
The time to do this
would have been back
when QRZ.com changed
from selling CDs to
a Slashdot-clone
amateur radio site
and eHam was trying
to be the same thing
with a
lousily-colored and
formatted website.
Both sites early on
showed just how
toxic mismanaged
social media could
be, and ARRL could
have beat them all
and done it much
better. But they
didn’t, and later
they didn’t even
attempt to have a
notable, focused
presence on social
media like Facebook.
They kept within
their sandbox of QST
and field staff
shaking hands at
dwindling hamfests.
Then there’s the
segment that
considers ARRL the
NRA of amateur
radio. They
advocate, protect,
lobby, and provide
services. The NRA
peddles fear, fear
that “they” are
going to take “your”
guns away. It’s how
they rile up and
motivate membership
and keep, or rather
kept the dollars
flowing in so Wayne
LaPierre could live
the good life. But
beyond lobbying and
money scandals they
offer everything a
gun owner might
want. What does ARRL
peddle?
Preservation. They
promise to preserve
amateur radio and
the status quo, and
occasionally raise
some funds with
spectrum defense.
Why does ARRL
still run the
antiquated NTS, or
push emcomm so much?
Why aren’t they
really involved with
digital standards or
pushing open systems
and software? It’s
easy to do what
you’ve been doing
for decades, and
hard to do something
new. You can buy a
brick paver with
your name on it that
will adorn the back
patio at HQ, and
will let future
generations of hams
know of your kind
generosity long
after you’re SK and
forgotten. ARRL is
like amateur radio
formaldehyde. Ham
radio may eventually
die, but they’re
going to keep it
from rotting.
However, it will
smell a bit funky.
The Maker
movement is the
bridge to the future
of amateur radio.
Makers are
tinkerers, like
amateur radio used
to be. They are
essentially amateur
radio operators
without the radios,
FCC licenses, and
the “historical
baggage” of their
hobby, like amateur
radio (we gotta do
emcomm, “we provide
a service to the
public”, “we got to
make up reasons to
ham like ‘I need to
collect all 50
states’ “, etc.).
You look at their
publications and
websites and they’re
just full of energy
and ideas. Makers
don’t need cringey
magazine covers with
a teenage girl
awkwardly posing,
touching the VFO
knob of a rig she’s
never used. They
don’t have
gatekeepers like
amateur radio, where
2/4
https://blog.radioartisan.com/2025/05/12/arrl-reconsidered/
5/13/25, 9:53 AM
ARRL Reconsidered –
Radio Artisan one
has know some code
to be a “real ham”.
They don’t care if
you have purple
hair, or if you have
an in-y or an out-y,
or both. They don’t
care if you sleep
with someone with an
in-y or an out-y. Or
both. Interest and
curiosity alone is
enough to validate
one as a Maker, and
there’s no pecking
order based on what
tests you passed,
how many 59s you
exchange on a
weekend and there
are no “collect all
X” of something as a
rite of passage.
Makers like new
cutting-edge
hardware and old,
antiquated (“retro“)
hardware just as
much. They’ll even
combine both and
make things like a
Raspberry Pi driving
old Nixie tubes.
Why? Because they
can. Most makers may
never have touched a
ham radio, but on a
philosophical level
they get why one
would want to pump
Morse code through a
satellite, or take
four diodes, a DDS
module, and an audio
amp chip and make a
direct conversion
receiver. ARRL
continues to this
day to fail to
recognize the
opportunity we have
with Makers.
While the changing
winds over the
decades may have
made ARRL unneeded
or obsolete, I’d
still call what has
happened a failure
of leadership, and
it was preventable.
With a for-profit
company there is a
life cycle graph
that looks something
like a hill.
Companies start up,
grow in adolescence,
mature and reach a
peak, get over the
hill, and later die.
A skillful business
leader will
recognize where an
organization is at
in the cycle and
“re-invent” the
business after a
peak to create a new
upswing, and a new,
higher peak. I think
the same applies to
a non-profit like
ARRL. The current
CEO naturally can’t
take all the blame,
in righting the ship
but he doesn’t seem
too interested
(https://www.kb6nu.com/another-arrl-member-lost/).
We could
probably trace ARRL
failures in
leadership all the
way back to the 70s.
In recent ARRL
history there was
only one innovator
CEO, and he was
unceremoniously
canned. It was said
he was
unconventional and a
bit disruptive; that
was exactly what
ARRL needed, and
still needs today.
While all ARRL CEOs
were undoubtedly
successful in
business in their
careers, I sense
most were looking
for a sort of
“retirement
position” as an ARRL
CEO, pulling a
paycheck but not
having to really
bust their butts or
make waves. Until
ARRL gets out of the
business of
preserving itself as
an ongoing entity,
the organization
will continue its
journey into
irrelevancy
Hacky Shack? The
TRS-80 Model I Story
The 1970s saw a
veritable goldrush
to corner the home
computer market,
with Tandy’s
Z80-powered TRS-80
probably one of the
most (in)famous
entries. Designed
from the ground up
to be as cheap as
possible, the
original (Model I)
TRS-80 cut all
corners management
could get away with.
The story of the
TRS-80 Model I is
the subject
of a recent video by
the [Little Car]
YouTube channel.
Having the TRS-80 sold
as an assembled
computer was not a
given, as kits were
rather common back
then, especially
since Tandy’s Radio
Shack stores had
their roots in
selling radio kits
and the like, not
computer systems.
Ultimately the
system was built
around the lower-end
1.78 MHz Z80 MPU
with the rudimentary Level
I BASIC (later
updated to Level
II), though with a
memory layout that
made running the
likes of CP/M
impossible. The
Model II would be
sold later as a
dedicated business
machine, with the
Model III being the
actual upgrade to
the Model I. You
could also
absolutely access
online services like those
of Compuserve on
your TRS-80.
While it was
appreciated that the
TRS-80 (lovingly
called the
‘Trash-80’ by some)
had a real keyboard
instead of a cheap
membrane keyboard,
the rest of the
Model I hardware had
plenty of issues,
and new FCC
regulations meant
that the Model III
was required as the
Model I produced
enough EMI to drown
out nearby radios.
Despite this, the
Model I put Tandy on
the map of home
computers, opened
the world of
computing to many
children and adults,
with subsequent
Tandy TRS-80
computers being
released until 1991
with the Model
4.
Blog – Hackaday Read
More
Hamvention:
Thousands flocking
to Xenia this
weekend for amateur
radio show (Ohio)
The world’s
largest amateur
radio convention
returns to the
Greene County Fair
and Expo Center this
weekend, with a
slate of new and
classic experiences
for ham radio fans
of all ages.
Hamvention
brought over
35,000 amateur radio
enthusiasts and over
700 volunteers to
Xenia last May, and
organizers have seen
“equally exciting”
ticket sales for
2025. For
comparison, the
population of the
entire city of Xenia
is only about
25,000.
Hamvention will
be held Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday
this weekend at the
Greene County
Fairgrounds and Expo
Center. Gates open
at 9 a.m.
The theme for
2025 is Radio
Independence, said
General Chair Brian
Markland, which he
said ”celebrates the
freedom and
resilience that have
always defined
amateur radio. From
the earliest spark
transmissions to
today’s global
digital modes, hams
have pushed the
boundaries of
innovation, service,
and community.”
Read more – https://bit.ly/3S8y8KD
THURSDAY
EDITION:
Good morning hamdom,
I am bringing home a
Yaesu FT950 and
going to try it out
on cw and ssb and
see how it
performs...
Triggering
Lightning and Safely
Guiding It Using a
Drone

Every year
lightning strikes
cause a lot of
damage — with the
high-voltage
discharges being a
major risk to
buildings,
infrastructure, and
the continued
existence of squishy
bags of mostly salty
water. While some
ways exist to reduce
their impact such as
lightning rods,
these passive
systems can only be
deployed in select
locations and cannot
prevent the build-up
of the charge that
leads up to the
plasma discharge
event. But the drone-based
system recently
tested by
Japan’s NTT, the
world’s fourth
largest
telecommunications
company, could
provide a more
proactive solution.
The idea is
pretty simple: fly a
drone that is
protected by a
specially designed
metal cage close to
a thundercloud with
a conductive tether
leading back to the
ground. By providing
a very short path to
ground, the built-up
charge in said cloud
will readily
discharge into this
cage and from there
back to the ground.
To test this
idea, NTT
researchers took
commercial drones
fitted with such a
protective cage and
exposed them to
artificial
lightning. The
drones turned out to
be fine up to 150 kA
which is five times
more than natural
lightning.
Afterwards the full
system was tested
with a real
thunderstorm, during
which the drone took
a hit and kept
flying, although the
protective cage
partially melted.
Expanding on this
experiment, NTT
imagines that a
system like this
could protect cities
and sensitive areas,
and possibly even
use and store the
thus captured energy
rather than just
leading it to
ground. While this
latter idea would
need some seriously
effective charging
technologies, the
idea of proactively
discharging
thunderclouds is
perhaps not so
crazy. We would need
to see someone run
the numbers on the
potential
effectiveness, of
course, but we are
all in favor of
(safe) lightning
experiments like
this.
If you’re
wondering why
channeling lightning
away from critical
infrastructure is
such a big deal, you
may want to read up
on Apollo 12.
Blog – Hackaday Read
More
WEDNESDAY
EDITION:
Great club meeting
this morning
followed by a nice
lunch at the Elks on
the Ocean with a few
hams...
ARRL Renews
Defense of the
902-928 MHz Amateur
Radio Band
ARRL The
National
Association for
Amateur Radio® in
a recent filing
encouraged the
Federal
Communications
Commission (FCC)
to listen to
industry
stakeholders
about the
detrimental
impacts that
changes to the
902-928 MHz band
would have for
current users.
The FCC is
considering a
petition by
NextNav, Inc., a
licensee in the
900-MHz Location
and Monitoring
Service (LMS),
to reconfigure
the 902-928 MHz
band to obtain
more spectrum
for itself and
replace the LMS
with high-power
5G cellular and
related
positioning,
navigation, and
timing (PNT)
services that
would supplement
GPS. ARRL filed
comments
opposing
NextNav’s
proposal in
September 2024.
ARRL’s latest
filing [PDF]
was submitted on
May 13, 2025, by
the
association’s
Washington
Counsel in
response to an
inquiry
initiated by the
Commission to
consider more
broadly ways to
improve and
harden GPS.
ARRL’s response
echoes concerns
of many others
and underscores
the need to
improve and
harden the
current GPS
system in a
manner that
doesn’t impact
radio amateurs
and other users
of the 902-928
MHz band. The
band supports an
extraordinary
number of
unlicensed
consumer devices
used by
consumers both
inside and
outside the
United States
with which radio
amateurs
co-exist.
ARRL strongly
agrees with the
many parties
that point out
in the record of
this proceeding
that, in working
with its sister
federal agencies
on this issue,
one of the
Commission’s
primary goals
should be to
ensure that
existing
services already
operating in the
spectrum, such
as in the
crowded 902-928
MHz band, should
not be disrupted
by complementary
PNT if equal or
better means are
available. Many
billions of
unlicensed
devices are in
use to provide
hundreds of
applications and
functionalities
to the American
public, and the
number of
devices and the
functionalities
that they
provide continue
to grow.
These devices
coexist with
amateur radio
operations in
the 902-928 MHz
band but they as
well as amateur
radio operations
would be
displaced if a
5G-like PNT
service was
authorized to
use this
spectrum.
In the
instant
proceeding the
FCC addresses
GPS concerns
holistically
that also are
being addressed
by multiple
other federal
government
agencies under
the direction of
the President. ARRL
emphasized the
FCC’s expertise
and role in
making the best
use of the
spectrum
resource.
We commend
the Commission
for initiating
this proceeding
to take a
holistic
approach to the
problem and
possible
solutions
thereto, rather
than a
piece-meal
approach that
might have led
to systems that
would
unnecessarily
use valuable
spectrum with
inferior results
and take years
longer to
construct from
scratch. The
Commission is
the civilian
spectrum expert
among the
collection of
agencies that
are addressing
this issue. We
rely on the
Commission to
make clear the
value of each
megahertz of
spectrum and the
trade-offs in
designating any
particular band
for the purpose
of complementary
PNT.
ARRL’s filing
is intended to
emphasize the
public interest
in protecting
amateur and
others’ access
to the 902-928
MHz band and to
highlight that
other, less
disruptive
options are
available for
PNT.
ARRL will
continue to
defend amateur
access to this
and other
threatened
amateur
allocations.
Hells Gate radio
club wants equipment
back
Club founder
says nobody with
Asotin County is
returning calls
or emails
seeking access
to Stout Ranch
after the group
made changes to
the site,
triggering an
investigation
and termination
of former public
works director
The
founder of
the Hells
Gate Amateur
Radio Club
asked Asotin
County
officials to
return the
group’s
equipment at
Stout Ranch
on the
Lewiston
Hill.
Kelly
Blackmon, a
former
Clarkston
city
councilor,
said his
radio club
has made
repeated
requests to
access the
site and
retrieve the
equipment,
but no one
at the
county is
returning
calls or
emails.
Blackmon
attended
Monday’s
board
meeting and
spoke during
the public
comment
period. The
commissioners
didn’t
discuss the
issue any
further, but
Sheriff John
Hildebrand
said he
plans to
contact
Whitman
County law
enforcement
about an
investigation
that was
launched
earlier this
year.
“As far
as we know,
it hasn’t
been closed
out yet,”
said
Commissioner
Chuck
Whitman.
In
January, the
ham radio
club made
improvements
at the site,
including
adding
repeaters,
insulation,
patching
holes and
cutting
weeds,
Blackmon
said. The
electrical
work caught
the
attention of
Clearwater
Power, and a
Whitman
County
deputy
responded,
along with
Washington
State Labor
and
Industries
investigators.
“At this
time, the
commissioners
cut off our
access to
the site and
turned off
our
repeaters,”
Blackmon
said.
The
incident
also
triggered
the
termination
of Russ
Pelleberg,
the former
public works
director. He
is a member
of the Hells
Gate club
and
reportedly
assisted
members with
access to
the site.
Read more
– Lewiston
Tribune: https://bit.ly/4k21jeQ
Amazing
Oscilloscope Demo
Scores The Win At
Revision 2025
Classic demos
from the demoscene
are all about
showing off one’s
technical prowess,
with a common side
order of a slick
banging soundtrack.
That’s precisely
what [BUS ERROR
Collective] members
[DJ_Level_3] and
[Marv1994] delivered with
their prize-winning Primer demo
this week.
This demo is a
grand example of
so-called
“oscilloscope
music”—where two
channels of audio
are used to control
an oscilloscope in
X-Y mode. The sounds
played determine the
graphics on the
screen, as we’ve
explored previously.
The real magic is
when you create very
cool sounds that
also draw very cool graphics
on the oscilloscope.
The Primer demo
achieves this goal
perfectly. Indeed,
it’s intended as a
“primer” on the very
artform itself,
starting out with
some simple
waveforms and
quickly spiraling
into a graphical
wonderland of
spinning shapes and
morphing patterns,
all to a sweet
electronic
soundtrack. It was
created with a range
of tools, including Osci-Render and
apparently Ableton
11, and the
recording performed
on a gorgeous BK
Precision Model 2120
oscilloscope in a
nice shade of green.
If you think this
demo is fully sick,
you’re not alone. It
took out first place
in the Wild category
at the Revision
2025 demo party,
as well as the Crowd
Favorite award. High
praise indeed.
We love a
good bit of
demoscene magic around
these parts.
Thanks to
[STrRedWolf] for the
tip!
Blog – Hackaday Read
More
TUESDAY
EDITION: We
are selling a Yaesu
FT950, very low op
time for the club, I
thought I would go
over and try it out
and take some
pictures. I think
instead of eBay I
will use Craigslist
and try to sell
locally.
Train With Morse
Master
Morse code can be
daunting to learn
when you’re new to
the game,
particularly if you
need it to pass your
desired radio
license. However,
these days, there
are a great many
tools to aid in the
learning process. A
good example is the Morse
Master from [Arnov
Sharma].
The Morse Master
is a translator for
Morse code, which
works in two ways.
You can access it
via a web app, and
type in regular
letters which it
then flashes out as
code on its in-built
LEDs. Alternatively,
you can enter Morse
manually using the
physical key, and
the results will be
displayed on the web
app. The Morse key
itself is built into
the enclosure using
3D printed
components paired
with a Cherry-style
keyboard switch.
It’s perhaps not the
ideal solution for
fast keying, with
its limited rebound,
but it’s a quick and
easy way to make a
functional key for
practice purposes.
If you want to go
faster, though, you
might want to
upgrade to something
more capable. We’d
also love to see a
buzzer added, since
Morse is very much
intended as an
auditory method of
communication.
We’ve seen some
other great Morse
code trainers
before, too. If
you’ve trained
yourself in this
method of
communication, don’t
hesitate to share
your own learning
tips below.
Amateur radio, a
hobby for all ages
Meet 10 year old
licensed radio
operator Ivan Fry

A COLUMN By
Bob Confer, pictured
is Fry
Last week, during
an episode of WNY
Tonight, my guest
organization was the
Lockport Amateur
Radio Association.
Among LARA’s members
joining me in the
studio was Ivan Fry,
who became a
licensed radio
operator last year.
Everyone who
watched the
television show was
captivated by the 10
year-old — his
interest and
knowledge of the
science and
technology of
communications is
exceeded only by the
energy and skill
with which he
speaks. I saw that
same impact last
month at
Royalton-Hartland’s
science fair, at
which he took first
place. He was busy
all evening speaking
to throngs of kids
and adults alike
about radio science,
many of whom kept
going back to learn
more.
To see that
youthful energy and
how he uses it to
attract others to a
pursuit that some
might think is home
to old men using old
technology is
awesome, especially
since he comes from
one of the
generations of
people who are
“digital natives”,
that is, those born
or brought up during
the era of digital
technology who are
familiar with and
reliant upon
computers and the
internet.
The web and the
ubiquitous
smartphone have, in
a way, made the
world a smaller
place. They allow us
to log on to
Facebook and
Instagram to share
messages around the
globe or use a
device that’s in
everyone’s pockets
to call or text
family and friends.
But, as Ivan knows,
there’s still a
place for the joy
afforded by ham
radio (which is
another name for the
hobby). It’s
exciting that you
can use a small box
of electronics and a
wire antenna to talk
to complete, but
welcoming strangers,
on every continent,
in every
neighborhood, and
from every
background.
You might be
familiar with
amateur radio by its
presence in pop
culture.
The movie
“Frequency” starring
Jim Caviezel and
Dennis Quaid had a
plot based on a
geomagnetic storm
that allowed a ham
radio operator to
talk to his deceased
father decades
earlier, which then
allowed them to
change the course of
history. Tim Allen’s
character on the
sitcom “Last Man
Standing” was an
amateur radio
enthusiast and it
played a part in
quite a few episodes
of the show.
You might also
recognize amateur
radio from its
presence in the
community.
If you’ve taken
part in events like
the Ride for Roswell
you’ve seen an army
of men and women
with handheld and
mobile radios
serving as
communications
support and
observers for the
riders. Perhaps
you’ve seen the
folks from LARA
showing off their
ability to
communicate
worldwide at the
Niagara County Fair.
Or, maybe you’ve
heard news reports
of hams connecting
communities during
hurricanes and other
events that gut
other forms of
communication.
Getting licensed
to take part in all
this is an easier
task than it used to
be. Nearly 20 years
ago, the Federal
Communications
Commission abandoned
the Morse code
requirements for its
permits, an obstacle
that had proved
difficult to many
and had prevented
them from entering
the hobby. Now, you
just need to pass a
written exam,
knowing radio and
electrical theory as
well as the FCC’s
rules and
regulations. There
are plenty of study
guides available and
most of them
actually provide the
hundreds of possible
questions and
answers that the
35-question exams
pull from. You take
the exam under the
watchful eye of
local hams. When
that time comes,
information about
the exam times and
locations — and
amateur radio in
general — can be
found at the website
of the American
Radio Relay League
(www.ARRL.org).
Back in 2011, I
got my radio license
(KC2ZZW) from the
federal government
after decades of
participating in
other radio pursuits
like CB radio and
listening to the
police scanner or
shortwave radio.
With my modest
low-power station
I’ve talked to more
than 85 countries
and half of our
states.
I also use ham
radio, specifically
VHF frequencies, as
a lifeline. In some
areas where I enjoy
the great outdoors
in New York (like
Allegany County and
the Adirondacks)
there is
questionable or no
cell coverage, but
my tiny
walkie-talkie can
reach ham radio
repeater systems
listened to by area
hams in those
regions. That offers
peace in mind and
preparedness for any
sort of emergency
you can encounter in
the wilderness.
If you’d like to
learn more about
amateur radio
locally, visit
LARA’s website at
www.lockportara.us
or attend their June
7th Hamfest
in the heart of
Niagara County where
you can meet radio
enthusiasts and get
into the hobby by
taking the licensing
exam (you have four
weeks to study) and
buying used but
excellent equipment.
Give it a try.
Amateur radio is a
hobby for all
interests and all
ages — from the
young ones like Ivan
to the old guys like
me.
MONDAY
EDITION: Sunny start
here on the rock...

Hi jon,
Just a few
days until
the Biggest Hamfest
on Earth opens its
doors. The Dayton
Hamvention is
May 16-17-18. We'll
have our usual huge
display in the
Marconi
Building a.k.a.
Building #3. If
you're at the show,
it would be my
pleasure to say
hello to you in
person. We're still
doing some last
minute prep, so this
will be a short
newsletter and we
won't be shipping
any orders until we
return and get
things unpacked and
sorted out.
It's no secret
that a very large
percentage of Ham
Radio equipment is
imported from other
countries. For
several months the
news has been full
of stories
on tariffs. The
situation seems to
change on a
near-daily basis.
Fortunately, I've
been able to get
nearly all of my
stock for Dayton
before they took (or
take) effect, so
I've not had to
raise prices yet.
But as of now it
looks like that will
change as I restock
after the show. In
short -- this may be
your last and best
chance to get things
at existing prices.
It's a big show, and
if you want to see
as much as possible,
it takes some
planning. Here are
my top 10 tips for
getting the most out
of Hamvention. In
fact, most of them
apply to just about
any large Hamfest.
1. Make a list of
companies and forums
you want to visit.
My good friends at
PC Board have a
complete listing of
both indoor and
outdoor vendors here.
Note that booth
numbers correspond
to buildings or flea
market areas. For
example, we'll be in
booths 3503, etc. in
Building #3, also
called the Marconi
Building. Split
your list in three
categories -- (a)
must see, (b) really
want to see, and (c)
would like to see.
Knock off the must
see first, then
tackle the others.
2. If a booth is
just too
crowded, don't spend
a lot of time
waiting to talk to
someone. Move on to
your next stop.
Booth traffic starts
to drop off after
about 2-3PM and
you'll have an
easier time then.
Of course, remember
it's ALWAYS worth
waiting at
the Quicksilver
Radio Booth ;-)
3. Noon 'til 1:30
or so is peak time
for lunch. Eat a
bit earlier, or
later, and you're
likely to encounter
much shorter lines
at the food trucks.
Don't forget to pack
water and snacks, or
be prepared to pay
typical concession
stand prices for
them. If you need
medication during
the day, have that
with you. No sense
hiking back to your
car to get it. And
pack a bottle of
your favorite pain
reliever, too. A
headache or sore
feet can really kill
your enjoyment of
the show. There are
just a very few real
restrooms on site,
but last time there
were plenty of
Porta-Potties that
seemed to be well
maintained
throughout the
show. A small pack
of baby wipes or
similar might be
handy to have.
4. Be prepared for
the weather. It
might pour rain. It
might be blazing hot
and sunny. It might
be damp and chilly.
It might even hail.
And all of them
might occur over
just a few hours! A
hat, sunscreen,
umbrella, and light
jacket should be in
your pack.
5. You're going to
be on your feet -- a
lot. Unless you're
used to standing for
long periods, your
"dogs will be
barking". One of
the best tips I've
ever heard is
to bring a second
pair of shoes and
socks, and switch
them halfway through
the day. Believe
me, it will almost
feel like you have a
new pair of feet.
6. Bring plenty of
cash. While the
larger commercial
dealers probably
accept credit cards,
many in the flea
market will not.
Try to get used
bills. If you have
to get crisp new
ones out of the ATM,
take a minute to
give each one a
"crumple". That
makes them much less
likely to stick
together.
Especially early in
the day, it may not
be easy for a dealer
to make change for a
small purchase with
a large bill. And
most (like me)
always appreciate
small bills to make
change for others.
7. If you do plan
to use a credit or
debit card, let your
bank know in
advance. Banks have
ever more stringent
anti-fraud practices
in place, protecting
both you and them.
You may typically
use your card for a
tank of gas and a
trip to the grocery
store once a week at
home. If you
suddenly make a
flurry of purchases
in a short period of
time, far from home,
your bank may well
flag and suspend the
card. There should
be a customer
service number on
the back of your
card. Make sure you
can read it! Even
so, cell phone
service at the
Fairgrounds was less
than ideal last year
and I'm unaware of
any change in that
regard.
8. Take advantage
of the opportunity
to learn. There are
forums galore,
covering just about
every aspect of our
great hobby.
They'll be presented
by experts in the
field, and you'll
get the chance to
meet fellow
enthusiasts as
well. The same is
true for shack
accessories -- in
many cases, you can
speak directly with
the folks who
designed and
manufacture it.
9. Take a minute
to thank the
hundreds of
volunteers who make
the Hamvention
possible. I can't
imagine how many
hours of their time
it takes to put on a
show like this. At
the very least, they
deserve a big round
of thanks.
Similarly, most
vendors put a huge
effort into their
Dayton booths.
Without them,
there's no show.
Let them know you're
glad to see them.
And (I know it
sounds a bit
self-serving) keep
them in mind
year-round as you
plan your
purchases. I don't
see either Amazon or
E-Bay on the vendor
list!
10. Whether you go
expecting to have a
great time, or you
expect to find a lot
of shortcomings,
you're probably
right! So ignore
that very small
minority of Negative
Ninnies. Yep, there
will be a few
glitches. If you
let that ruin your
Hamvention, shame on
you. With Ringling
Brothers' Circus now
closed, this is
the Greatest Show on
Earth. Enjoy all it
has to offer, and
take home some
wonderful memories
along with some new
toys.
11. Bonus tip --
stop by my booth,
#3503 etc in the
Marconi Building,
for a free smile or
two. And please do
say hello. I always
really enjoy seeing
you in person and
hearing what's on
your mind.
Johns Hopkins
University to Hold
ARRL Teachers
Institute
A session of the
ARRL Teachers
Institute on
Wireless Technology
(TI) is being hosted
this summer by the
Johns Hopkins
University Applied
Physics Lab in
Laurel, Maryland.
This marks the first
time a major
research university
has hosted the ARRL
program.
The TI program is
expanding
significantly in
2025. Already, an
institute was held
on Staten Island,
New York, to mark
the first regional
session….
Read more-
American Radio Relay
League | Ham Radio
Association and
Resources – Read
More
The following
are updates from
recently published
newsletters focused
on ham radio.
Ria's Ham Shack: A
preview of Dayton
Hamvention
Ham radio's biggest
annual event. This
week I talk about
activities at
Hamvention in Ohio -
what I plan to do
and things you can
do.
Ria's Ham Shack
Random Wire Review:
Issue 130
Issue 130 leans into
M17, covering an M17
radio, connecting to
Kansas City Wide,
configuring WPSD,
and getting started
free on M17. A
beautiful new
full-duplex AllStar
node is available.
The Random Wire
Zero Retries 0201
Amateur Radio Isn’t
Having All The
(Radio) Fun, New
Types of New Amateur
Radio Operators… and
Their Expectations,
Langstone (V2) VHF /
UHF Software Defined
Radio Project, and
more!
Zero Retries
Experimental Radio
News 12
Satellite selfies,
drilling with
millimeter waves,
mobile phone
rescues, a
hypersonic glider,
and more.
Experimental Radio
News
Radio Silence [068]
Do you sometimes
wish that you can
tear down your
entire amateur radio
station and start
again? Not me, it
was perfect.
73 from G5DOC
The Communicator
May-June 2025 [PDF]
Mentoring Young
Hams, Operation
Manna, Computing
Science and Ham
Radio, Making a
Better Heathkit
Antenna, and more.
The Communicator
The Logger's Bark
May 2025 [PDF]
Lamptenna 3, Numbers
Stations, How FT8
Works, and more.
The Logger's Bark
WEEKEND
EDITION:
Thanks to HRO Salem
for the info
below.....
Dear Ham:
Coming to
Hamvention this
year? We hope you
are. The weather is
predicted to be
good.
Here’s a copy of our
latest newsletter with
an article about the
Hamvention Radio
Station we set up
for you on AM1620
that you can listen
to for news,
weather, traffic and
fun on the way in
each day. You can
see the station in
action at Booth 1002
in Building 1, when
you come by. This
year the radio
program features
answers to some “Way
Too Easy HAM Radio
Questions” that you
will have fun
answering. Most of
the answers
are…well…way too
easy!
And, of course
you can see the
latest "The
Lowdown" 630-meter
antenna and
accessories while
you are there.
Hope to see
you in the City of
Hospitality – Xenia,
OH – next week!
Bill Baker
Information
Station Specialists
616.772.2300 x102
theRADIOsource.com
Amateur Radio
Newsline Report
FCC TO PUSH FOR
US-BASED TESTING OF
SOME IMPORTED
ELECTRONICS
NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top
story this week is
all about
electronics that are
made for the US
market but tested
overseas. The US
regulator is
preparing to change
where that testing
can – and cannot –
be done. Here’s Kent
Peterson KCØDGY with
the details.
KENT: The FCC plans
to tighten its
requirements for the
testing of
electronic devices
manufactured in
countries such as
China before they
can be sold to US
consumers. The
commission will
review an order this
month that bans
device-testing
conducted by labs
that are [quote]
“owned, controlled
or directed by
entities that pose
national security
risks,” according to
a statement by FCC
Commissioner Brendan
Carr. He identified
China as one example
of such a country,
He said it was
important that
US-based labs begin
taking on the
responsibility to
certify such
equipment. According
to Carr’s statement,
Chinese labs test
about three-quarters
of all electronics
sold in the US.
The commission will
consider the new
order at its open
meeting on May 22nd.
**
WEATHER-BALLOON
WASTE CHALLENGES
AUSTRALIAN COAST
NEIL/ANCHOR: Never
mind space junk from
decommissioned
satellites. Right
here on earth,
pieces of weather
balloons have been
found littering one
beach in Australia.
John Williams VK4JJW
brings us up to
date.
JOHN: Remnants of
latex rubber weather
balloons and foam
boxes with
scientific
instruments washed
up recently on the
southwest coast of
Victoria, where they
were discovered by
beach patrol crews.
According to local
media, the
half-dozen or so
balloons were
carrying a
radiosonde to
measure
temperatures, wind
speed, wind
direction and
relative humidity.
The balloons had
been launched from
Tasmania for a
research project
hosted by the
Commonwealth
Scientific and
Industrial Research
Organisation, the
Australian Bureau of
Meteorology and the
US Department of
Energy. The launch
site on the
northwest tip of
Tasmania is
considered the
location of the
planet's purest air,
making it a
preferred spot for
scientists' climate
studies.
Heath Powers, the
project's operations
manager, said in an
Australian
Broadcasting
Corporation report
that scientists are
testing more
eco-friendly ways to
conduct these
studies without
creating such an
impact on marine
life.
This is John
Williams VK4JJW.
,
(AUSTRALIAN
BROADCASTING
CORPORATION,
WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA)
**
WEATHER-WATCHING
SATELLITES ENTERING
END-OF-LIFE STAGE
NEIL/ANCHOR: In a
little more than a
month, the US will
stop supporting
three satellites in
its important group
of weather
observers. Sel Embee
KB3TZD tells us what
that means.
SEL: Three US
government
weather-watching
satellites have been
scheduled to
formally enter the
end-of-life stage on
June 16th by the
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration. NOAA
has announced that
the satellites - 15,
18 and 19 - which
are part of the
Polar Operational
Environmental
Satellites, or POES
system, will no
longer be updated or
repaired.
As quoted in the
blog USradioguy.com,
NOAA said that this
means signals will
continue to be
transmitted but
should not be used
by anyone for
purposes involving
safety or other
critical matters.
Hobbyists will still
be able to download
weather satellite
imagery either via
Automatic Picture
Transmission on 137
MHz with a V-dipole
antenna or via High
Resolution Picture
Transmission on 1.7
GHz with a tracking
dish antenna.
Like the other POES
satellites, this
trio had provided
data that was used
in monitoring the
environment, forest
fires, volcanic
eruptions and global
vegetation.
This is Sel Embee,
KB3TZD.
(AMSAT, USRADIOGUY
BLOG)
**
HAMVENTION PREPARES
FOR OPENING DAY
NEIL/ANCHOR: As the
days wind down
towards opening day
of Hamvention in
Xenia, Ohio,
organizers report
brisk ticket sales
and the hope to
match or exceed last
year's attendance of
more than 35,000
guests over the
three days. A team
of 700-plus
volunteers will be
there starting on
May 16th to make
everyone welcome.
This year's theme is
"Radio Independence"
and for three days
it will pervade the
four meeting halls
where the forums are
taking place.
Tickets can be
purchased at the box
office outside the
main entrance gate.
For additional
details visit
www.hamvention.org
The ARRL is also
encouraging visitors
to download the
Hamvention app which
includes the full
program and
affiliated events.
Find the link to
download the app in
the text version of
this week's newscast
at arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ:
https://www.tripbuilder.net/html5/arrl/multi_home.php
]
(JAMES GIFFORD,
N8KET)
**
NEW GRANT BOOSTS
DIGITAL LIBRARY OF
AMATEUR RADIO &
COMMUNICATIONS
NEIL/ANCHOR: Thanks
to an infusion of
money from Amateur
Radio Digital
Communications, the
massive collection
at the Digital
Library of Amateur
Radio &
Communications can
keep growing - and
growing. Randy Sly
W4XJ has those
details.
RANDY: The
collection of
digitized
newsletters,
magazines and online
media at the Digital
Library of Amateur
Radio &
Communications keeps
on growing — and now
the library has
something else to
add to its hefty
collection: a second
grant from Amateur
Radio Digital
Communications, the
group that provided
the original grant
that first helped
bring this library
of amateur radio's
international
history to life.
Kay Savetz, K6KJN,
the library's
curator, said in the
Zero Retries
newsletter that the
funding will permit
the free library's
continued operation
for another two
years. He said phase
two of the library's
operation will
include acquiring
and digitizing
material from the
California
Historical Radio
Society and the
SPARK Museum of
Electrical
Invention. The
library's most
recent acquisitions
include the Wireless
Institute of
Australia's Amateur
Radio Magazine from
1933 through 2012
and dozens of new
issues of the DX
Bulletin.
Still celebrating
the support, Kay
wrote in the
newsletter: [quote]
"Excuse the mess,
there’s still
confetti all over
the floor of DLARC
World Headquarters."
[endquote]
This is Randy Sly
W4XJ.
(ZERO RETRIES
NEWSLETTER, AMATEUR
NEWS DAILY)
**
THREE INDUCTED INTO
CQ AMATEUR RADIO
HALL OF FAME
NEIL/ANCHOR: The CQ
Amateur Radio Hall
of Fame, which is
now overseen by
Hamgallery, has
announced the trio
of inductees for
2025. We hear more
about them from
Travis Lisk N3ILS.
TRAVIS: The three
newest CQ hall of
famers, who were
chosen following a
nomination process
that ended in April,
include one Silent
Key.The inductees
are Wayne Overbeck,
N6NB, who became a
Silent Key last
month, Angel M.
Vazquez, WP3R and
Jim Breakall,
WA3FET.
Wayne, who became a
Silent Key on April
18th of this year,
was well known as a
co-creator of the
Quagi antenna, which
is part-Yagi,
part-quad. A
top-performing
contester, he was
honored as Radio
Amateur of the Year
at the Dayton
Hamvention in 1980
for his years of
contributions to ham
radio. Wayne was an
educator and a
former vice director
with the ARRL's
Southwestern
Division.
Angel, who was named
Amateur of the Year
at Dayton Hamvention
in 2021, had worked
at the Arecibo
Observatory in
Puerto Rico since
1977. He had served
as head of telescope
operations and was
the lead operator
for 2010 moonbounce
project at Arecibo
-- a project that
included, among
others, fellow hall
of fame inductee Jim
Breakall. Angel
works as the Puerto
Rico Coordination
Zone Administrator,
managed by the
National Radio
Astronomy
Observatory.
Jim is a professor
emeritus of
electrical
engineering at
Pennsylvania State
University and a
leader in
cutting-edge antenna
technology. He is
credited for his
work with the
Numerical
Electromagnetics
Code used in antenna
analysis. A prolific
author and busy
contester, Jim has
been involved in
antenna designs at
Arecibo and the
HAARP facility in
Alaska.
For more details
about the recipients
visit hamgallery.com
This is Travis Lisk
N3ILS.
(HAMGALLERY.COM)
**
HAM2K PORTABLE
LOGGER RECEIVES
SOFTWARE AWARD
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Congratulations to
the winner of the
2025 Amateur Radio
Software Award. If
you do a lot of
portable operating,
you may already be
very familiar with
this program and its
developer. Andy
Morrison K9AWM tells
us about them both.
ANDY: Ham2K Portable
Logger has been a
mainstay in the
field for a growing
number of portable
operators since its
development by
Sebastian Delmont,
KI2D. The Amateur
Radio Software Award
committee has chosen
to honor the free
downloadable logger,
citing its [quote]
"intuitive,
user-friendly
interfaces and a
suite of convenient
features."
[endquote] The
software's support
of Worldwide Flora &
Fauna, Summits on
the Air, Parks on
the Air and the ARRL
Field Day has helped
grow its popularity.
Details about the
logger can be found
at polo dot ham2k
dot com
(polo.ham2K.com).
Meanwhile, mark your
calendars for the
7th through the 17th
of November, when
the committee will
activate
special-event
stations K6A K6R and
K6S - that spells
ARS for Amateur
Radio Software - to
honor this year's
winner and to
solicit nominees for
next year's award.
The international
award is given for
open-source software
projects that
promote innovation
and freedom in
amateur radio.
This is Andy
Morrison K9AWM.
**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT
YOUNG HAM OF THE
YEAR
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Nominations close on
the 31st of this
month for Newsline's
Bill Pasternak
Memorial Young Ham
of the Year Award.
Do you know a
promising young
amateur who is a
potential candidate?
Consider nominating
an amateur radio
operator 18 years of
age or younger here
in the continental
United States. If
they have talent,
promise and a
commitment to the
spirit of ham radio
they might just be
this year's award
winner. Find
application forms on
our website
arnewsline.org under
the "YHOTY" tab.
**
APRS POSTPONES MAY
SUMMIT, RESCHEDULES
FOR FALL
NEIL/ANCHOR: The
APRS Foundation's
inaugural education
summit, originally
scheduled to take
place in May, has
been postponed until
the autumn of this
year. The nonprofit
group is developing
a full day of
programming that is
geared to both
seasoned operators
and beginners -
anyone interested in
using the Automatic
Packet Reporting
System.
Discussions about
packet radio will
include the
fundamentals but
will also address
cutting-edge
applications and
what's in store for
the future. Best of
all, guests can
attend the online
seminars and
interactive Q&A
sessions right from
their home QTH.
Registration details
will appear on the
foundation website
at
aprsfoundation.org
when they are
available.
(APRS FOUNDATION)
**
IMAGE TRANSMISSION A
HIGHLIGHT OF
DISASTER TRAINING
NEIL/ANCHOR: The
mountainous terrain
of the Indian state
of Nagaland is
daunting - but it is
never more daunting
than in an emergency
when communication
cannot afford to
fail. An amateur
radio training
program has been
helping state
officials train in
the latest
communication
technologies, as we
learn from Jim
Meachen ZL2BHF.
JIM: Open Source
Classes for Amateur
Radio, also known as
OSCAR India, has
been working with
the Nagaland State
Disaster Management
Authority to sharpen
responders'
communication
skills. In the most
recent session, held
in late April,
participants
celebrated a first
for responders in
the region in
northeast India -
they successfully
used radio signals
for image
transmission, using
the callsign AT2NE.
District project
associates who work
for the disaster
management authority
were able to see the
benefit of this
image-transmission
mode. They also
received training in
antenna-building and
Morse Code.
OSCAR India's
convenor, Nilkantha
Chatterjee, VU2OII
[Vee You Two Oh Eye
Eye], told local
media [quote] "This
demonstration proves
radio's vital role
when modern networks
fail. While we have
conducted similar
transmissions
elsewhere, bringing
this capability to
Northeast India's
unique landscape is
particularly
rewarding."
[endquote]
This is Jim Meachen
ZL2BHF.
(NAGALAND POST)
**
CITY POLICE STATIONS
PREPARE TO ADD
AMATEUR RADIO
NEIL/ANCHOR: In West
Bengal, India, law
enforcement
officials in one
city are adding
amateur radio shacks
to police stations.
Now they are busy
getting volunteers
trained and licensed
to use them. We have
an update from
Graham Kemp VK4BB.
GRAHAM: Two months
of ham radio
training began in
late April for civic
volunteers who
assist at the 26
police stations
throughout the city
of Barrackpore. The
sessions are being
conducted by Srayan
Mondal, VU3ZHF,
Pashupati Mondal,
VU3ODQ, Dipak
Chakraborty, VU2TLW
and Jayanta Baidya,
VU2TFR -- all
members of the West
Bengal Radio Club.
The training is
designed to prepare
the volunteers for
the exam leading to
the ham radio
certificate from the
Ministry of
Telecommunications.
Radio shacks are
expected to be set
up at each of the 26
police stations and
the police central
office.
The police
commissioner told
local media that
adding wireless
communication to the
various modes used
by law enforcement
will be especially
helpful for disaster
response.
This is Graham Kemp
VK4BB.
(TIMES OF INDIA,
AMBARISH NAG BISWAS,
VU2JFA)
**
SPECIAL STATIONS
CELEBRATE MAJOR HAM
EXPO IN JAPAN
NEIL/ANCHOR: The
Osaka-Kansai Expo
2025 is a major
event by the Japan
Amateur Radio League
that showcases
cutting-edge
technology and
focuses on training
and education for
the ham community.
JARL is inviting
hams around the
world to get
involved in the
months ahead, as we
hear from Jason
Daniels VK2LAW.
JASON: Members of
the Japan Amateur
Radio League are
showing their
support for the
Osaka-Kansai Expo
2025 in a big way:
For the 184 days,
they are calling QRZ
with the callsign
8K3EXPO. The expo
opened on April 13th
with the first QSOs
made by JARL
president Koji
Morita, JA5SUD.
Volunteers
throughout the
organisation will
continue the
activation until its
conclusion on the
13th of October.
According to the
expo website, all
the radio equipment
for this station is
being operated
remotely, utilising
optical fibre. A
radio booth is set
up next to one of
the expo halls in
the East Gate Zone
and linked to the
antenna tower
elsewhere on the
site.
Not everything is
happening on site.
At the same time the
8K3 station is on
the air, the mobile
station JA3XPO is
also being operated
by JARL. This is a
special callsign
that has been
re-activated 55
years after its
first use at the
previous Osaka Expo
in 1970. The mobile
operation will
travel to the six
prefectures in the
Kansai region.
Of course, if you
think this expo is a
big deal, wait until
next year when JARL
marks 100 years
since its founding.
For additional
information about
the expo, see the
link in the text
version of this
week's newscast at
arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ:
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/
]
This is Jason
Daniels VK2LAW.
(JARL)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX,
listen for callsigns
with the special
prefixes 4X77 and
4Z77 until the 10th
of May. Hams in
Israel are
celebrating the 77th
anniversary since
the founding of the
Israel Association
of Radio
Communication and
the establishment of
the State of Israel.
See QRZ.com for more
details.
Kasimir, DL2SBY,
will be using the
callsign HBØ/DL2SBY
from Liechtenstein
from the 11th to the
18th of May. Listen
for him on the HF
bands and on 6
metres. See QRZ.com
for details.
The callsign II3IARU
[EYE EYE THREE IARU]
is being activated
by Alex, IV3KKW to
mark the 100th
anniversary of the
IARU and the 75th
anniversary of IARU
Region 1. He will be
on the air until the
18th of May. QSL via
his home callsign.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: A PULSAR
PACKS A PUNCH INTO
OUR GALAXY
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Finally, we hear
about a distress
call that came in
via radio - but this
wasn't exactly a
local call or even a
conventional DX
call. How about....
26,000 light-years
from Earth? Ralph
Squillace KK6ITB
goes the distance
with this story.
RALPH: It's known as
the Snake, the
nickname by which
astronomers identify
one dense, elongated
filament in the
center of our Milky
Way galaxy. It
apparently has
suffered fractures
in two places. As
best as scientists
can tell, a
fast-rotating
neutron star known
as a pulsar collided
with the Snake at a
not-too-shabby 1–2
million miles per
hour and caused a
fracture that
disrupted the
Snake's magnetic
field, releasing
radio emissions from
the site of the
impact.
NASA's Chandra X-ray
observatory and the
MeerKAT radio array
in South Africa
studied the Snake,
which is
230-light-years
long, to get a
better picture of
what scientists
compare to fractures
in bones. Radio
astronomers combined
their findings with
those of an
observatory in San
Agustin, Mexico and
recently released a
paper in the Monthly
Notices of the
London-based Royal
Astronomical Society
describing the
event. Scientists
study filaments such
as the Snake to
understand their
roles in how stars
are formed.
Whether the Snake
can heal is another
question altogether.
Cosmic veterinarians
don't make
long-distance house
calls.